Disney
The New Men in Black Doesn’t Have Will Smith, but Aladdin Does
No, that’s not a mistake. We’ve been given a peek into two new movies this week, and I’m giving one of them a major side eye.
First we got a peek at Will Smith as the Genie, and honestly, I don’t hate it. It’s getting a fair bit of criticism, but I do really think this can be a good move. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Guy Ritchie explained how much of a challenge he faced when deciding who would play the Genie, because of Robin Williams’ iconic performance in the 1992 animated Disney film. He considered how Williams made the Genie so memorable by just injecting his own flair.
“The great thing about the role of the Genie is that it’s essentially a hyperbole for who that individual actor is, so it’s a wonderful platform and tapestry for an actor to fill his boots on,” Said Ritchie.
So when thinking of an actor who could overplay a version of himself, Will Smith seemed a natural choice. Smith himself said “I started to feel confident that I could deliver something that was an homage to Robin Williams but was musically different. Just the flavor of the character would be different enough and unique enough that it would be in a different lane, versus trying to compete.”
I like this. I like Will Smith (even when he’s in some real clunkers like Bright). I like that it’s a well thought out choice and if done well, Smith can really deliver something iconic in his own way. If he can stick with hyperbole and avoid caricature, I think it can really work.
Honestly, as long as it’s not Wild Wild West, I’ll probably be pleased.
Now in comes Men in Black International. This I am significantly less optimistic about. Watch the trailer here if you haven’t seen it already.
It’s definitely got some positive elements – Emma Thompson for one, looks incredible. Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson have good chemistry, as we saw in Thor: Ragnarok. Liam Neeson is always a treat. Some of the aliens are returning from the original series, and the new aliens look absolutely charming.
My biggest concern is that for a movie spin off of a franchise made successful by Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, those two are conspicuously absent from the roster. I’m not saying it can’t work, I’m just saying I have my doubts.
Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of faith in Chris Hemsworth’s ability to improve on a reboot either, as made painfully obvious in the 2016 re-imagining of the Ghostbusters franchise.
I’m also wary of the CGI elements, because I’m seeing roughly 200% more flying vehicles than I’m comfortable with. Of course a movie about aliens will require some CGI, but the original film franchise leaned heavily on practical effects as well, which I’m just not seeing in this trailer. Overly fake looking movies typically have a short trip into the reject pile and for good reason.
It’s obvious that this is hoped to be the first of several new Men in Black Movies, so let’s hope that this spin off franchise stacks up to the original.
All in all, I’m feeling a lot more optimistic about movies with Will Smith in them than those without. This may not only be a direct testament to Smith himself, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
Disney
The Little Mermaid | Official Trailer
A young mermaid makes a deal with a sea witch, to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress a prince.
Genre:
Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Release Date:
May 26, 2023
Director:
Rob Marshall
Cast:
Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy
Plot Summary:
A young mermaid makes a deal with a sea witch, to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress a prince.
Disney
‘Haunted Mansion’ Teaser Trailer Materializes
Home is where the Haunt is. Watch the brand-new teaser trailer for Haunted Mansion, appearing only in Theatres July 28
Look alive, foolish mortals! Walt Disney Studios is dying to share the teaser trailer for the comically creepy adventure Haunted Mansion, appearing in theatres on July 28, 2023.
Watch Disney’s Haunted Mansion teaser trailer below, which is loaded with familiar faces – both spirits from the dark ride attraction and fan-favourite Hollywood superstars! There were plenty of spooktacular nods to the iconic and beloved attraction. If you’ve ridden on “Haunted Mansion” at the Disney Parks then you’ll know what to expect as throughout we see mysteriously stretching portraits, ghosts haunting, and some recognisable characters such as the Hatbox ghost, Constance Hatchaway, and Madam Leota played by Jamie Lee Curtis.
The presence of the supernatural world would probably take you by surprise as we see an unsuspecting family move into the Mansion believing it to be a lovely new home, however, Rosario Dawson’s character Gabbie soon learns that a vanilla-scented candle still won’t chase the creepiness away!
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Justin Simien, “Haunted Mansion” features an all-star ensemble cast that includes LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, and Dan Levy, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost.
Director Simien said in a statement shared with Coastal House Media, “As a lifelong fan of the Haunted Mansion attraction, I’m beyond excited to share the teaser trailer for our new film adaptation featuring an incredible cast,” Simien says. “Our team has worked tirelessly to create a scary, funny and cinematic otherworldly adventure for both new and die-hard fans to enjoy! I can’t wait for audiences to experience this big screen version of the iconic Disney attraction.”
Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, a doctor (Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase Dillon), looking to start a new life, move into a strangely affordable mansion in New Orleans, only to discover that the place is much more than they bargained for. Desperate for help, they contact a priest (Wilson), who, in turn, enlists the aid of a widowed scientist-turned-failed-paranormal expert (Stanfield), a French Quarter psychic (Haddish) and a crotchety historian (DeVito). this motley crew of so-called spiritual experts are to help rid the family’s home of supernatural squatters.
The film’s producers are Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, with Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman serving as executive producers.
Jonathan Majors Arrested in NYC For Assaulting a Woman
According to TMZ Jonathan Majors has been arrested in NYC for reportedly assaulting a woman. A source told TMZ the...
Robert Downey Jr. to Star in Remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’ from ‘Peaky Blinders’ Creator
Robert Downey Jr. (Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man) has been mostly off the radar since he exited his legendary role in...
A24 Sets Ensemble Disaster Comedy ‘Y2K’ starring Rachel Zegler, Jaeden Martell + More
A24 is coming off a major Oscars coup with its Best Picture-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once, but now, they’re headed...
The Flash | Official Trailer
Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world...
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | New Trailer
Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill rallies his team to defend the universe and one of their...
James Gunn Has Released His DCU Lineup Today
James Gunn’s DCU lineup has been revealed. Gunn says his new direction for the DCU will be an eight to...
‘Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham’ Review | A Mystical Lovecraftian Batman Adventure
The Great DOOM! is coming “Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham” combines the world of Gotham and Batman with...
Jharrel Jerome and Jennifer Lopez to Headline ‘Unstoppable’ for Ben Affleck & Matt Damon’s Production Company
Hot off the great reviews for the upcoming Air Jordan flick, Air, it seems that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are...
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always | Official Trailer – Netflix
The Rangers come face-to-face with a familiar threat from the past. In the midst of a global crisis, they are...
Ha! That’s true, I didn’t think about the Rock with international audiences. And maybe it will be awesome! We’ll have to see.
First,
I would argue that Chris was the best part of the Ghostbusters reboot.
Second,
This new MIB has the benefit of being inclusive to London and, to an degree, a more global fan base. We can see the over seas success of Multiple movies that do terrible in the US. The Rock himself is responsible for half of that market alone!